Sipping up faith and family

Motherhood….we all just want to be appreciated…

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day and I felt the need to share a little bit about myself and this holiday with my readers. Every year my little family spoils me on mother’s day. Tomorrow the kiddos and daddy will be in charge of whatever we do. It is usually an all day event and I am eager to see what tomorrow will hold. Typically, I get awaken by little arms hugging me, homemade cards, and lots of love. Mom gets “off” for dinner and I usually sleep in or grab a nap in the afternoon. What mom doesn’t crave sleep??? This year was no different in terms of being spoiled, but it was nice to have gifts arrive before the big day:

yummy chocolate-covered strawberries from the girls

tulips from my only son, Dirty Dog D.

roses from the hubby

The past two years, I was surprised with Mother’s Day brunches at two really nice places. The children were so well behaved which made it that much more special. I’m not a real “breakfast person” so I love to go out to brunch where I can get endless choices of everything. =)

Mother’s Day 2011

Mother’s Day 2012

But Mother’s Day is not about chocolates, and flowers, and nice dinners. It’s about honoring a vocation and the women who commit their lives to that beautiful call.

Ever since I was little, I wanted to be a mom. I wanted to hold a little life in my hand that was “flesh of my flesh”. I wanted to have those cuddly moments with a baby, and close my eyes and just feel love and be loved. I wanted a baby to nuzzle into my neck and love me. Thankfully, God has blessed me with five little souls to nurture and love. As I see it, God has entrusted me with the responsibility of being the best mom that I can be. So what does that mean?

At the birth of Miss Missy

To me, it means:

loving my children tirelessly…through their non-sleeping infancy, their terrible threes, and the ” I know everything” big kid stage ( Obviously, my oldest is 9. I’m still in most of these phases)

it means having the “tough conversations” that I want to avoid like good sportsmanship, purity, character flaws, and violence in the world.

it means making every moment “teachable”….remembering that every time I open my mouth..my children are listening….will they hear charity or anger? love or hate?

it means embracing my laundry because I have beautiful kids that wear them….

it means teaching my girls to find their value in who they are …..not what they wear

it means maintaining and dominating my housework so that I can provide a safe haven for my family…and teaching my children to become good stewards of everything they are given

it means being a goofball and enjoying fun times with them.

fake moustaches and goofing around

it means riding the fine line between giving my kids “everything I didn’t have” and spoiling them.

it means teaching my children the value of hard work and being charitable

it means teaching my children that we are Christians first…..that we follow the first commandment and “love one another as Christ loves us”.

sisters!!!

it means having a “girls day” one day and having them hating me on their bed another day

it means creating moments with them that will last a lifetime….

halloween

it means showing my son how to respect women by respecting his mom first

it means being the heart of my home and always giving my children an ear to hear them.